Improvement in machines for sticking needles into papefi



UNrrnn STATES PATENT -rricn GEORGE P. FARMER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT N MAcHiNEs Por silente NEEDLES INT0'- PAPER.

Spcciication forming part of Leiters Patent No. 35,748, dated Jnly'l, 1862.

uniform rows of needles in ridges formed on a.

continuous strip of paper, the' several rows being arranged at uniform distancesfrom each other.

ln order to enable others to make and use myinvention, I will now proceed to describe its 'construction and operation.

VOn reference tothe Aaocexnpanyinig draw ings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is av sectional'elevation of my machine for sticking needles into strips of paper, Fig. 2, a 'transverse vertical section on the line 1'2, Fig. l; Fig. 3, a plan View; Figs. 4, 5, and 6, detached views of partsA of the rnachine; Figs. 7,8, and 9,detached views drawn to an enlarged scale.

Similar letters refer to similar parts th ron ghout the several views. A is an oblong box or hopper resting on a table. or platform, B, which is supported by suitable legs,GG C C, secured to the base plate Z. ln the lower 'portion of the hopper A a number of longitudinal jpartitions, i i, are arranged at equal distances apart from each other, the space between the bases of two adjafcent partitions being sufficient 'to admit one needle only, and each partition being bev,- eled from the base to the top, where it is reduced to a sharp edge, as seen in Fig. 2., Near each lower corner of the hopper is a lug, d, and from these'lugs project pins z', the latter fitting snugly in suitable openings in blocks h and h', secured to the table B. These blocks are so arranged in respect to the lugs d d-that the former serve to guide the latter during a slight lateral movement which has to be imparted to the hopper, as described hereinafter.

From one side of the hopper projects the bar m, which passes through .an opening in the block h, a somewhat similar bar, m', pro- -jecting -from the oppositeside of the hopper .and passing throughan opening in the block h. (See Figs. 2 and 4,.) A set-screw, o, in

the head of the curved spring'V(the latter' being secured to the table B) presses against the end ofthe block fm', and tends to mai`n.

tain the hopper in the position shown in Fig. 2.- y

The greater partof the rear end of the table B is so out away as to leave only the narrow side.strips,J J,along -the'inner sides of which are attached the guide-rods H H. Secured to and projecting from the ends of the strips J and J are the brackets Gand G, in which "the journals of the cranked shaft D have V wtheirgbearings, and on one'end of this crank shaft is the cog-wheel D, which gears into a similar cog-wheel, I, hung loosely on a stationaryvpin, attached to and projecting from the side of the iableB. The opposite end of the crank-shaft D carries the cog-wheel K,which gears into a similar cog-wheel, K', the latter gearing into-a like wheel,T,the two latter wheels being hung on pins secured to the side of .the table B.

The several cog-wheels are shown by simple red lines in Fig. 1.

To the crank of the shaft D is connected one end of the rod F, the opposite end of which isjointed to a projection, c, on. the cross-head E, which is guided by the rods H and H', and to which a reciprocating motion is impartedV by the crankshaft. Fromthe cross-head E project a number of rods, 7c, the outer ends of which rest in channelst cut 1ongitudi-nally in the table B, one rod in each channel, the channels and rods being, as regards number and their distance apart, the 'same as the spaces between the beveled partitionsvl in the hopper A.

On the table Bin front of the hopper are erected the standards M and M, in the upper ends of which turns the flanged spool Y for containing the rollv of paper into which the needles have to be stuck. A spring, 2, is attached to the inside of one'of the standardsM or M', and is arranged to -bear against the side of the spool, so as to impart asuitable friction to the latter. The lower ends of the standards pass through and act as guides for the crimping-block L,whic'h is acted on by springs q q, coiled round the standards and bearing at the block is depressed, but to enter the grooves y at points between the channels. (See Fig. 6.) To the top of the block'L is attached a plate, S, projections on which carry pulleys e e, bearing upon the upper edge of a yoke, O, which passes round the block and is jointed at one end to a stationary arm, N, secured to the side 'of the table B, the opposite end ofthe yoke being provided with a pulley, r. From the side of the blockv L nearest to the hopper project brackets, in which turns the roller p, the object of which will be explained hereinafter.

To the end of the table B are secured the arms B and P', in the ends of which turn the journals of the triangular block Q. From eachA corner vof the latter project aseries of ne, sharp points, t, and on eachv face of this block near one edge is a flat plate, R, the ends of which project through and are guided byslots in the vsides of the block, and near each end of this plate is fastened a hook, to which is secured oneend of a spiral spring, I5, the other end of the spring being held by a hook cn the face of and near the opposite edge of the block. The ends of the arms P and P are'rounded off to the shape illustrated in Fig. 1, fora purpose explained hereinafter. The end of the axle `7 ofthe triangular block Q carries a ratchet wheel, Q, into the teeth of which engages the end of a fiat spring, R', securedftothe baseplate Z, and on the outer face of the ratchetwheel are placed at rregular distances from each other three pins carrying the frictionrollers 6 6 .6. On the 'outer face of the wheel T is secured an arm or lever, y', and on the inner face a cam-block, Z'. In aprojection, 8, on the inner face of the wheel I turns apulley, Z', the object of which will be rendered apparent hereinafter. Operation: The different parts of the machine being in the relative positions illustrated in Figs: l, 2 and 3, the end ofthe roll of paper a' (shown by blue lines) on the spool Yis passed down beneath the roller p, Fig. 1, under the crimping-block L, along the face of the table B, over the upper face of the triangular block Q and its sliding rplate .R, and over the outer row of sharp points v on'the edge of the block.

(See Fig. 8.)` The paper is thus held at one end by the points, suitable tension being imparted' to it by the friction of the spring2 against the spool. The needles are 'then thrown into the hopper A, care being taken that their points shall be directed toward the ,crimper L, those needles lirst thrown Ain being directed by the `beveled partition z' tothe bottom of the spaces between the said partitions ontov the facev of the table B, where they rest at points between the channels t t of the said table. (See Fig. 2,)

The machine is set in motion by turning the wheel D in the direction of `its arrow, when the 'j following operations will be accomplished: As the Wheell turns, the pulley lis brought in contact with the block m, thereby pushing the hopper transversely across the tableand causing the spaces betweenthe partitions i of the hopper to coincjdewith the channels t, Fig. 4,

-so that the needles, which are also pushed laterally, must dropone needle into each channel. As the wheel I continues its revolution,l however, the pulley Z` recedes from the block m, when the hopper is immediately forced laterally by the spring V to its former position, so that the partitions t are directly above the row of needles, which are thus inclosed in covered channels. The cross-head E is then moved forward by the crank-shaft D', and the ends of the rods k, striking the heads of the needles, push them along the channels t, beneath the crimpingblock L, and between the projections a of the said block to the position shown by the red line 9,Fig. 1. Prior to the forward movement cf the row of needles the paper w has been pressed4 down by the projections a of the crimper into the grooves y, thereby forming two ridges, which are penetrated by the. points of the needles as they move along the channels t, as may be seen more distinctly in the enlarged view Fig. 7. As the rods la are drawn back by the crank-shaft the face of the ,cam-block l on the wheel 'I moves beneath and raises the pulley r, and with it the yoke O and crimping-block L, which bears on the yoke through the medium of the friction-wheels e. While the block L is being elevated, the end of the arm y', on the outside of the wheel T, strikes the nearest projection 6 on the face of the ratchet-wheel Q', thereby causing the triangular'block-Q to move to the extent of one-third of a revolution in the direction of its arrow, and to draw from the spool and from beneath the crimping-block a quantity of paper equal in length to that of one face of the block Q. The rods 7.a are then moved to the limit of their backward movement, the block L drops by the action of the spring V, and the movements are continued as before until the triangular block Q is again caused to make a part of a revolution by the arm y. As this block revolves in the direction of its arrow,and the corner to which the paper is held by the points c passes the ends of the arms P, the projecting ends of the plate B strike the roundedends of thesaid arms, thereby pushing the plate'forward to level with, that of the table B, in which position the paper remains stationary for a sufficient length of time to allow the needles to penetrate'the ridges to the extent desired.

It will be observed that a rod, w, projects from the rear of the hopper A, and that there is a slot, w', in the cross-head E.' As long as the needles are properly directed from the hopper into the channels t, the rod w presents no obstruction to the uniform reciprocating motion of the cross-head; but should' one or more ofthe needles remain partly in the'hopper and vpartly in the channels, the lateral position of the hopper would be such thatv on the for ward movement of the cross-head the slot w would not coincide with the rod w, the latter consequently obstructing the movement of the cross-head, and therebyv stopping 'the machine. 1

It will now be seen without further description that the result ofthe above operations is the sticking of uniform rows of needles in ridges formed on a continuous strip of paper, the rows being at equal distance apart from each other.

Without confining .myself tothe precise gearing and other mechanism herein described for operating the movingparts ofthe machine, orto the precise arrangement of these parts, l claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The use of the partitionsi z' in the hopper A, for the purpose ofy separating the needles from each other,arranging them in a row,and determining the number contained in each row.

2. The hopper A, with its partitions i, in combination with the channels itin the table 413,'when a lateral motion is imparted to -thehopper by the devices described or their equivalents, for the purpose specified.

3. The reciprocating rods k, adapted to the channels t t of the tables B and arranged in respect to the hopper A and its partitions and operating substantially as specified.

4. 'lhe crimping-block L, with its projections a, the channels t t, and transverse grooves y, the .whole being arranged so as to act on the paper, substantially as and for the` purpose herein set forth.

5. The use of a block, Q,`having three or any other convenient number of sides, with points o at the corners, and having an ,jintermittent revolving motion for the purpose of drawing the paper forward and determining the distance apart of the rows of needles to be stuck into the paper. r

6. The plates R, arranged on the block Q, and operating so as t0 strip the paperfrom the points v, substantially as specified.

7. Providing the hopper A with the rod w or its equivalent, the same being so constructed and arranged `in respect to the cross-head E that should the partitions in the hopper fail to direct the needles to their destination thesaid rod will at once retard the further movement of the machine.

In testimony whereofl have signed my name to this speciiication in the presence of two subscribng witnesses.

GEGRGE P. FARMER.

Witnesses.

CHARLES E. FOSTER, CHAs. HoWsoN. 

